The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1887-08-17
Burglary in Skowhegan.


S'"t ti'u ny Ohe ihteilEenec 1hal hHISluS
/ had been at work the night before, and
/ that the Post Office and store of IL u
! 1,ott.r.on A. r., bo,1 b,.,, I,,,,..,l,,i,,,l
20" eA"i'iii'"ti'" VI 'he Pieii'Nc9 IL
+ was found that the nrst move OF the
/ burglars was 10 enter the Carriage sh p
OF Il. \. foSs IN the rear OF the REPORTER
Office, by breaking out square of glass.
removing the fastening to the lower sash
of window and showing it up. From
this shop they took two chselS and bit
stock which were found IN the Post office
They then scaled the roof of the coal shed
OF the REroklER Block, by tlmbers placed
/ up against the wall, Which brought them
to window opening out OF the back
] room IN IatterSohs store. Inns they
! forced up ny the use OF HE chlSelS Dor
roWed OF Mr.. toss ana entered with little
trouble evidently. They then proceeded
to the olilce IN the front store where they
found the safe, an ordinary llreprooi
Morris Ireland medium size. Inns they
/ drilled with BIG drill near the spindle
OF the Knob that throws the bolt inserted
charge of powder the explosion OF
which broke the lock into dozen or
i more pieces, leaving the bolts Tree to
Slide back and the door to open. They
then took the drawers out of the safe,
took the cash, about $50 and made their
way to the fost Office Here the borrowed
! chlSels were again brought INTO Use, the
1astenlngs OF IA window on the north side
OF the building broken ana the WINDOW
forced up ana cnterahce elected. lhey
evidently gave attention to the sale with
OUT delay. ne SAFE Is iheulum SIZED
Hall ireproof' with combination
4 lock ami no inner door, The ARTISTS put
in J III hole through the outside plate OF
the door directly INTO the cavity OF the
lock. The explosion forced the outside
plate oil revealing the anatomy OF the
lock III Il sadly drnorallzed condition and
thoroughly shattered Ihis done they
addressed themselves to the contents oil
tile safe They appropriated the ready
cash. Il little rising SlOo ana TOOK all the
stamps on hand nut the one cent ones
lhey also took the man KEY but neglected
To open steer DON tilat contained Nall'a-
bic' ana lelt package OF registered
letters uhappfoprlated' III Is strange
they diu not take the lattef as lhcy conld
have made good wages opening them.
They were evidently III hurry when they
lelt or they would nave mate il pcltel
h"ul'
The fact of the burglarles was llrst DIS
covered ny night Waterman {. {. Nhlt-
tier who about $50 Thursday morning
Ill covered dim ll9ht IN the f"st once.
lie went TO the window, trleu IL, ana
found That II was unlaStehed ana upon
gong IN iouhd an ovcrcoai' that had
evidently been thrown over the sale To
dcaden the sound oil the explosion ON
llrc Alter taking care oil the coat he
routed up Postmaster Miller VINO came
upon the scene ana soon aScertaihed the
extent OF ms loss Mr. Patterson dlu not
discover ms loss uhtll the store was
opened III the morning Tor business.
Efforts were mace 10 track the burglars
but thus lar without avail POSTMASTER
Miller wired to aterNllle and the officers
IN inns vicinity anu Hherll vaughn lol.
lowed supposed cue TO Athens and
brighton to no purpose however 1t Is
pretty wen determined That TWO men VINO
were registered AT the HkoWlegah House
and got Their meals there lodging else
where, were the principals III the a1air,
whether they had any help IS question.
/ These men dld not write Their own names
but gave the names Thomas Narhey, OF
Portland, ana Il. burke, OF Lewiston.